May snowstorm shuts down area

It was slow going on Highway 63 north of Spring Valley and other roads throughout the area Thursday morning. (Tribune photo by David Phillips)

Nearly a foot of snow shut down schools, medical clinics, roads and more in southeastern Minnesota Thursday.

The record for snowfall for the entire month of May was two inches, but several cities received more than a foot of wet, heavy snow. Rochester, which is an official weather station, had 14 inches, but areas to the north had reports of nearly 18 inches.

In the Bluff Country area, Spring Valley was tops with more than 11 inches of snow while totals dwindled to the east and particularly to the south.

However, all schools in the area were closed for the day. Olmsted Medical Clinic sent out alerts that its clinic in Spring Valley was closed for the day and the one in Preston was closing at 1 p.m. In fact, the only clinic outside of Rochester that remained open after 1 p.m. was in Chatfield.